. >> woodruff: the president phoned house speaker john boehner yesterday, their first direct talk in almost a week. but today white house spokesman jay carney wouldn't share details of the call. >> we believe it's in the interest of achieving an agreement not to do that. >> reporter: treasury secretary timothy geithner said yesterday the white house was absolutely willing to go over the cliff if republicans held firm in their opposition to raising rates on the wealthy. but it was the administration's other demand-- to give the president authority over the nation's debt ceiling that roiled tempers on capitol hill. senate minority leader mitch mcconnell tried yesterday to force a vote on the issue, assuming republicans would prevail. >> look, the only way we ever cut spending around here is by using the debate over the debt limit to do it. now the president wants to remove that spur to cut altogether. it gets in the way of his spending plans. i assure you, it's not going to happen. >> reporter: but when majority leader harry reid took him up on the offer today, mcconnell backed down. >